Slide processing apparatus and method

Abstract

The present invention is concerned with a basket processing apparatus that includes a basket storage portion in a form of a horizontal load rail ( 2 ). A plurality of slide storage baskets ( 4 ) can be located in series on the rail ( 2 ). Each basket is “side loading” and the side loading aperture of each basket can be selectively covered by a slide retaining bar ( 6 ). When the baskets ( 4 ) are placed on the load rail ( 2 ) (e.g. by hooking or clipping the baskets onto the rail), the basket can be moved along the horizontal rail by a basket moving means. The arrangement of the rail and the basket moving means is such that the baskets can be pushed together and move as a “train”. Baskets moved to the pick-up end ( 12 ) of the rail can then be removed from the rail and processed. A vertical lift mechanism can be used to remove the basket and transport it to a processing device, for example a coverslipper.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A hopper for storing a plurality of coverslips prior to dispensing of said coverslips by a coverslip dispensing device, wherein the hopper is configured to cooperate with the coverslip dispensing device so as to align the hopper with respect to the coverslip dispensing device,
 wherein the hopper comprises opposing walls partially defining an interior space for holding a stack of coverslips, 
 wherein a plurality of recesses are formed within the opposed walls, the plurality of recesses being adapted to allow elongated members of the coverslip dispensing device to intrude into the interior space and engage the side of the stack of coverslips such that a plurality of coverslips are simultaneously engaged by the elongated members, 
 wherein the plurality of recesses comprises a plurality of elongated concave surfaces formed within and extending vertically up the opposing walls. 
 
     
     
       2. A hopper according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one recess is tapered. 
     
     
       3. A hopper according to  claim 1 , wherein the hopper has front and back walls that are adjacent to the opposing sidewalls. 
     
     
       4. A hopper according to  claim 1 , wherein the hopper is made from a plastics material. 
     
     
       5. A hopper according to  claim 4 , wherein the hopper is made from a one-piece molding. 
     
     
       6. A hopper according to  claim 4 , wherein the hopper is disposable. 
     
     
       7. A hopper according to  claim 1 , wherein the hopper includes an opening through which coverslips can be loaded into the hopper. 
     
     
       8. A hopper according to  claim 7 , wherein the hopper includes front and rear end walls joining the opposed walls, wherein one of the hopper walls that is moveable with respect to the other walls so as to selectively provide the opening through which coverslips can be loaded into the hopper. 
     
     
       9. A hopper according to  claim 8 , wherein the at least one hopper wall is hinged with respect to the other walls so as to provide a hinged opening for loading the hopper. 
     
     
       10. A hopper according to  claim 8 , wherein the hopper includes a latch so that the at least one hopper wall can be selectively held in a closed position. 
     
     
       11. A hopper according to  claim 1 , wherein the hopper includes internal guides for locating coverslips within the hopper. 
     
     
       12. A hopper according to  claim 11 , wherein the hopper includes a plurality of walls defining the internal volume of the hopper, and the internal guides define a space within the hopper that is smaller than the internal volume of the hopper to permit a coverslip smaller than the hopper to be stored in the hopper. 
     
     
       13. A hopper according to  claim 11 , wherein the internal guides are arranged to reduce the effective length of the hopper. 
     
     
       14. A hopper according to  claim 11 , wherein the internal guides comprises one or more ribs. 
     
     
       15. A hopper according to  claim 14 , wherein the ribs extend substantially from the bottom of the hopper to the top of the hopper. 
     
     
       16. A hopper for storing a plurality of coverslips prior to dispensing of said coverslips by a coverslip dispensing device, wherein said hopper includes an opening that selectively provides an opening through which coverslips can be loaded into the hopper,
 wherein the hopper comprises opposing walls partially defining an interior space for holding a stack of coverslips, 
 wherein the hopper comprises a plurality of recesses within the opposed walls, the plurality of recesses having elongated concave surfaces and being adapted to allow elongated members of the coverslip dispensing device to intrude into the interior space and engage the side of the stack of coverslips such that a plurality of coverslips are simultaneously engaged by the elongated locating pins. 
 
     
     
       17. A hopper for storing a plurality of coverslips prior to dispensing of said coverslips by a coverslip dispensing device, wherein said hopper includes internal guides for locating coverslips within the hopper,
 wherein the hopper comprises opposing walls partially defining an interior space for holding a stack of coverslips, 
 wherein the internal guides comprise a plurality of recesses within the opposed walls, the plurality of recesses having elongated concave surfaces and being adapted to allow elongated members of the coverslip dispensing device to intrude into the interior space and engage the side of the stack of coverslips such that a plurality of coverslips are simultaneously engaged by the elongated locating pins. 
 
     
     
       18. A coverslip dispensing device configured for cooperating with a hopper so as to align the hopper with respect to a coverslipper,
 wherein the hopper comprises opposing walls partially defining an interior space for holding a stack of coverslips, 
 wherein the coverslip dispensing device comprises a plurality of elongated locating pins and the opposing walls comprise a plurality of recesses within the opposed walls, the plurality of recesses having elongated concave surfaces and being adapted to allow the elongated locating pins of the coverslip dispensing device to intrude into the interior space and engage the side of the stack of coverslips such that a plurality of coverslips are simultaneously engaged by the elongated locating pins. 
 
     
     
       19. A coverslip dispensing device according to  claim 18 , wherein two locating pins of the plurality of locating pins are provided side by side. 
     
     
       20. A coverslip dispensing device according to  claim 18 , wherein at least one locating pin is tapered. 
     
     
       21. A hopper for storing a plurality of coverslips prior to dispensing of said coverslips by a coverslip dispensing device, the hopper having front and back walls and a pair of opposing sidewalls, wherein at least one of the hopper walls is moveable with respect to the other walls so as to selectively provide an opening through which coverslips can be loaded into the hopper, and the hopper having a latch so that the at least one wall can be selectively held in the closed position, and the hopper being configured for cooperating with the coverslip dispensing device so as to align the hopper with respect to the coverslip dispensing device,
 wherein the opposing sidewalls partially define an interior space for holding a stack of coverslips, 
 wherein the opposing sidewalls comprise a plurality of recesses within the opposed walls, the plurality of recesses having elongated concave surfaces and being adapted to allow elongated locating pins of the coverslip dispensing device to intrude into the interior space and engage the side of the stack of coverslips such that a plurality of coverslips are simultaneously engaged by the elongated locating pins. 
 
     
     
       22. A hopper according to  claim 21 , wherein the moveable at least one hopper wall is hinged with respect to the other walls so as to provide a hinged opening for loading the hopper. 
     
     
       23. A hopper for storing a plurality of coverslips prior to dispensing of said coverslips by a coverslip dispensing device, wherein the hopper includes elongated locating chambers for cooperating with the coverslip dispensing device so as to align the hopper with respect to the coverslip dispensing device, wherein the elongated locating chambers are adapted so that aligning the hopper with elongated locating pins of the coverslip dispensing device causes a stack of coverslips inside the hopper to be aligned within the hopper,
 wherein the opposing sidewalls partially define an interior space for holding the stack of coverslips, 
 wherein the elongated locating chambers comprise a plurality of recesses within the opposed walls, the plurality of recesses having elongated concave surfaces and being adapted to allow the elongated members of the coverslip dispensing device to intrude into the interior space and engage the side of the stack of coverslips and thereby causes the stack of coverslips inside the hopper to be aligned within the hopper such that a plurality of coverslips are simultaneously engaged by the elongated locating pins.